Internal-combustion engine.



ci Ei INTERNAL COIBUSTION ENGINE.

PPLIUTIO FILED SEPT. 24, 190'1.

1,077,956.. Patented Nov.41913.

` www@ v Jwefzza @www G." H. FOX. mfrBRNAL colBusTIoN ENGINE.

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APPLICATION FILED 8131224, 1907.

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C. H. FOX.

INTERNAL couUsTIoN ENGINE. APPLIUA'FION PILE?) SEPT. 24E 1907.

Patented N017. 4, 1913.

SHEETS-SHEET 3.

c. H. Fox. INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE.`

APPLIOATIOI FILED SEPT. 24, 1907.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

6 -BHBETS-BHEET 4.

. c. H. FOX. INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 24, 1907.

G. H. FOX.

INTERNAL' coMBusTIoN ENGINE.

' APPLIOTIpl FILED SEPT. 24, 1907. 1,077,956, Patented Nov.4, 1913.

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'UNrrEn straal-Es PATENT oEEioE- CHARLES H. FOX, 0F BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA.

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Ap'plicaton'Ied September 24, 19(37. Serial No. 394,417.

To 1.77 whom 'it may concern.:

Be it known that l', CHARLES HENRY Fox. a citizen of the United States, residing at Bakersfield, in the county of Kern and State of California, have invented a new and useful Internal-Combustion Engine, of which the following is a specification.

A n object of this invent-ion is to provide an internal combustion engine capable of economically generating varied power at the will ofthe operator.

Other objects are to provide novel means for the` use of water for cooling and combustion purposes; to provide foi combustion of the hydrogen gas by cumulative action of gas having a lower temperature of combustion; to .effect the exhaust in such manner as to thereby assist in coolingthe engine.

An object in view is to provide an engine whereby an accurate determination can be `readily had of the comparative effectiveness of various mixtures of air and fuel and various degrees of compression so as to enable a manufacturer to determine the requisites for the most edective engine for a determined kind or 'quality of fuel.

This invent-ion is animprovement in numerous features among which may be mentioned: 1. The complete expulsion of the burntgases by piston displacement andthe compression at the same time of a. succeeding charge at each inward stroke of the compression piston. 2. The intro-duction and ignition behind the impulse piston of a part of a compressed charge, and then the application of theforce of the resulting explosion to introduce into the combustion chamber behind. the receding piston, the remainder of the charge, being now highly compressed, thus continuing the combustion as the impulse piston recedes. 3. T he introduction to the impulse chamber of fuel 'at the charging port by means of air compressed by the forceof combustion at the same time taking place in said chamber. 4. The provision of adjustable means for producing .the explo.- sive mixture at the charging port or in the impulse chamber at the will of t-lie'.operator. Interchangeability from two-cycle to four-cycle and vice versa at they will of the operato-r while the engine is inv operation.'

Provision is made whereby water may be used in connection with carbonaceous or Specication of Letters Patent.

.cated by m4 Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

used as a cooling agent while being vaporized as it passes in with the fuel from the lower end of the nozzle; second: as an eX- plesive, 'after having been changed to gases by pressure and heat; and third: as a cooling agent after being exploded as` it will be immediately and instantly converted first back to water again and then into steam and then will be passed out with the exhaust.

The invention includes the engine and theA various parts and combinations of parts hereinafter more particularly set forth..-

Other advantages and objects may appear from the subjoined detail description.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is 'a plan of an engine constructed in accordance with this invention, portions being broken away to 'expose interior 75 construction. rlhe parts are 'adjusted for equal stroke of all the pistons. Fig. 2 bis a fragmental plan section' showing arrangement of the compressor and impulse chambers, and the' charging Avalve between saidfSO chambers. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sect-ion through the compressor on IinewS-Q, Figs. 1 and 4. Fig. 4 is a section on line india'4, 1, 3, 14 'and 17, showing the valves closed. Fig. 5 is a. detail sec- 85 tio-n on line indicated by :aL-m?, Figs. 1 and 6 show-ing the parts adjusted to cause one of the compressor'pistons to make a stroke longer than that of an impulse piston. j Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail plan of 90 the variable stroke mechanism whereby the length of stroke of one ofl the compressor pistons may be increased and decreased at the will of the operator.- The adjustment 1s the same as in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a sectional 95l elevation from line w'f-avz", Fig. 6. Fig. 8'.1s a sectional detail on line aas-w8, Fig: 6, omit-v ting the bell crank. Fig. 9 is a sectional detail on line m5--9, Fig. 6. .Fig. 1() is an elevation from line acm-m10, Fig. 9. Fig 11 100 is an enlarged detail of the means for adjusting the length of stroke of one' of the compressor pistons to vary the compression and the volume of the charge lof air. The parts are shownin posit-ion at the close of the inspiration and-as adjusted to afl'ord the maximum retraction at the close o the inspiration. Portions of the boxing and case are sectioned. Fig. 12 is a sectional elevation from line :p12-m12, Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is 110 an elevation from right of Figs. 1 and 3 andfrom left of Fig. 17 cutting the end cap on line indicated by an, Figs. land 3, to expose the mechanism for changing the cycle and for changing the amount of compression in the impulse chamber. Fig. 14 is a section on line indicated by colte-m14, Figs. 1 land 4 showing the combined air and water acket which may be applied 'to either or both the cylinders. Arrows indicate inspiration of cooling lair at the instroke of the pistons.

Fig. 15 is a cross section of the two cylinders to show clearly that the compressor cylinder may be of less diameter than the impulse cylinder and that the cooling jacket may be unitary to inclose both cylinders. It may be assumed that this section is at a line, not shown between middle and the y right end of the cylinders. Fig. 16 is a frag- 2U ment-al axial sectional detail of the charging valve on line indicated by..fa }F-1, Fig. 2, showing the Valve open. Figglis an elevation from the rear of Fig. land the right of Fig. 4, omitting the flywheeland other parts shown at the top or rear of Fig. `1 above line :UU- m7, in said Fig. 1. Fig. 18 is a plan of the charging valve and a portion of the mechanism for operating the same. Fig. 19 is a iragmental sectional elevationfrom line indicated by w19-w19, Figs. 17 and 18 to illustrate the adjustable `valve operating l mechanism. Fig. 20 is a fragmental sectional detail, looking right from line w22-w32", Fig. 17, illustrating the mechanism for changing from two cycle to tour cycle operation. Fig..21, Sheet L1, is a fragmental'i detail of the means for starting the engine in either direction. Fig. 22 .is a Jragmental section on line m22, Fig. 21.

-1 is the frame of the engine; 2, the com:

`presser cylinder orchamber, and 8 animpulse or combustion cylinder or chamber. 4- is 'a valved charging port communicatingbetween said cylinders midway of their length. 5 and 5 are the compressor pistons in the compressor cylinder 2. L

6. and 6 are Athe impulse pistons inf the Vimp pulse cylinder 3.

7 and 7 are crank shafts at the opposite ends of the engine. 8 and 8 are compressor r piston rods connected with said crank shafts 9 and 9 are impulse piston connected with the crank Lomece pistons egin to recede from each other and at the latter part of the inward strokes of i the compressor pistons so that the'charge be-y tween the compressor' pistons will be expelled from the compressor chamber into the increasing space between tle impulse pistons, and the charging port will be closed behind the charge at the instant the com-v pressor pistons begin to recede 'from each other. s, l

23 'designateseani electrical igniter in the form of a hot wirearranged to ignite-the charge in the impulse chamber. f

The operation of the engine thus far described is as follows z--By rocking the crank shafts the compressor pistons 5' and 5' may be made to suck in`a partial charge ofair and expel the same from the compressor chamber through the charging port 4 where a. quantity of fuel is supplied to the 'air by suitable means as by a nozzle 24, whereupon an explosive charge is driven into and across the impulsechamber where it will be ignited by the hot wire, thus causing anA explosion. An impulse will thus be given to the impulse. pistons 6 and-6 tc drive the engine in the direction in which the fly-wheel a is at that time moving, that being the direction of least resistance.- The compressor pistons 5 and 5 will at each successive revolution of the 'crank shafts take in a full charge of air' and expel the same with a `turther charge ci Juel into the impulse chamberl where it will be fired by the igniting device. The economy of edort in thus starting the engine is apparent, as it is only necessary to take in a sui'iicient charge to give the compression under which the explosive mixture will burn when ignited-by'. the hot wire, and-imma diately thereafter `the conuoressionf of 'ur'` ther charges in, operating the engine ,is accomplished by the force of the internal combustion applied, through the impulse pistons, 'the flywheel, and the crank shafts to the compressor pistons'.` 4

is a ypet-cock for the compressor chamber to` enable the operator-'to allow a portion of air contained therein' to'escapefrom the compressor chamberin case the engine at, A

any timev comes to a stand still when the compressor pistons are at the end of their i outward stroke. lThe object being to relieve the .'pressureand allow the engine to be easily, started. ln such case the pet-cock b may be opened while the crank shafts are being rocked thus to allow the pistons and 5 p to approach each other until there remains between them a charge sufficiently light. Then the pet-cock will be closed and the rocking of the crank-shaft may then be accomplished as stated to drive the charge into the impulse chamber. The engine may thus be easily started into operation.

In order to `readily rock the crank shaft in either direction for the purpose of starting the engine, there is-provided a starting device illustrated in Figs. 21 and 22, in which 25 is a body rotatable on the' crank shaft 7, and 26, 26 designate two friction shoes pivoted to said body by pivots 27, 27 and adapted to frictionally engage a collar 28 that is Xed to the crank shaft 7. 29 is a lever pivoted by a pivot 30 to the body 25, and by pivot 31 to two links 32 and 32 Which are respectively pivoted by pivots 33 and 33 to arms 34 and 34: of the shoes 26 and 26. Said arms are on opposite sides of the pivots 27, 27 from the friction shoes 26, 26', sothat when the free end of the lever 29 is swung toward either of the shoes, such shoe will be forced into frictional contact with the collar 28, while the other shoe will be swungaway from the collar 28. The friction between the collar and the shoe that engages it is suflicient to rotate the collar,

' and consequently the crank shaftI 7, in the direction toward which the free end of the lever 29 has been swung. By this means the crank shaftI may be turned sufficiently to charge the impulse chamber to a degree requisite for an explosion in the impulse chamber and consequently a starting of the engine in the direction in which the crankshaft has been ,turned by the means Stated.

When the power from the impulse pistons is effective to continue the rotation of the crank shaft in the direction in which it has been started, the collar 28 being thus turned in such direction escapes the frictional contact of the shoe. When the starting lever 29 stands in position to hold the pivots 30 and 31 in a line that is at right angles to the line drawn through the pivots 27, 27', both of the shoes are released. Any suitable means may be provided if necessary, to hold the lever in this intermediate position.

The arms 34, 34 of the shoes are c011- structed to clear the collar 28 in all positions into which the lever 29 may be swung so that they will not prevent the shoes from contacting with the collar 28. The collar-engaging faces of said shoes are of the same radius as the inside face of the collar and each is adapted to fit the collar when` its shoe is swung` into locking position. 35, 35 designate clutches in the crank-shaft between the impulse cranks l36, 36', and the 'compressor cranks 37, 37. c designates a common lever connected by rods ci, d', to simultaneously operate the two clutches, thereby allowing the impulse cranks 36, 36 to be turned independently of the compressor cranks 37 impulse pistons begin. to separate to receive the charge; and also to adjust the impulse pistons to such position relative to the compressor pistons as may be necessary to cause the `engine to run in the direction desired.

Indicators may be provided to enable the operator to readily determine the required adjustment. Such indicators-are shown in Fig. 1 where 38, 38 designate marks on the two members 39, 39', respectively.

40 and 40 designate two sets of digits respectively arranged .on opposite sides of the index mark 38 on one of the clutch members of each clutch. These indicating marks are so arranged relative to the wrist-pins of the cranks that when the indexes 38, 38 are adjacent cach other the compressor and impulse pistons will come to dead center at the same time.

ln case the pistons are all brought to center line, thus bringing the indexes 38 and 38 adjacent to each other, then by releasing the clutches from each other and turning the impulse cranks 36, 36 to bring the index 38 to the digit of one .or the other set 40 or 40', the impulse pistons may be simultaneously withdrawn from the center line a determined distance with the impulse crank'eitherbelow or above dead centen-as the case may be. Then the clutches may be engaged and when the engine is started into operation it will run in the direction determined by the setting just above described.

It is found in practice that in order to secure the most perfect combustion, the volume of air supplied to the impulse chamber should be insuilicient to lill the chamber at atmospheric pressure when the'pistons are at. the extreme outer stroke; and consequentlyitis unnecessary to make the compressor cylinder 2 of as great diameter as the impulse cylinder 3, the stroke of the several pistons 5, 5 and 6, 6 being of equal length.

The charging port- 4 is of such area as to allow the charge of air to pass therethrough at such velocity as may be deemed advisable. Preferably, said port is tapered, as shown in Fig. 4, and the orifice of the port in the wall of the impulse chamber is as small as may be deemed practicable; the purpose being two-fold, namely,-by this form the air issues into the impulse chamberas from the end of a nozzle and, together with the fuel carried thereby, is directed across said chamber to the hot wire 23 which is preferably located dianietricallyacross the impulse chamber from said orifice. A second purpose in making the orifice intoV the impulse chamber as small as practicable isto minimize the tendency to transmit the force of' effect of the combustion in such chamber, the

power being transmitted through the im.- pulse pistons, their rods, the crank shaft, the compressor pistons and their rods; the principle being that the forces of the explosion are directly applied against the large areas of the receding impulse pistons, and in any event could not be effective upon the compressor pistons until after having passed through the comparatively Very small orifice of the charging port.

The impulse pistons recede from each other under the impulse7 not only of the explosion, but also under the impulse of thev momentum of the ily-Wheel and of all the pistons and piston rods; therefore, all the forces combine to expel the air from between the compressor pistons through the port and charging valve ito the impulsechamber, thereby carrying the charge of fuel into the body ofburning, highly-heated, hightension gases, and there the combustion takes place continuously'as it is supplied by the fuel and air thus injected. This action tends to take up some of the heat of the first combustioiito effect an expansion .of new fuel and air, thus tending to prevent excessive heating of the combustion Furthermore, the combustion lis 'by this method and means caused to take place in a. limited space,-namely, at the middleof-the chamber where the fuel is gradually'introduced; consequently, the tendency to heat the greater body of the cylinder Walls is reduced, and as the area subject-to heating is also subject to the cooling action of the expanding'air and fuel, the tendency to loss of heat is minimized. i

As the explosion takes place, the pressure in the impulse chamber becomes very great, and consequently the charge of air and fuel can only enter such chamber under a cor? respondingly great pressure. The compressor pistons -are therefore; so set that their cycle follows that of the impulse pistons in such relation thatthe compressor pistou will expel practically .all the air from the com-. pressor chamber at au early part, say, the first, fourth'. or third of the impulse stroke, during which time the material'for thecombustion is supplied and the ignition theree of `takes -place .under lthe high pressure and heat caused by the earlier combustion.

The, fuel may befed into the impulse chamber in any suitable manner` In the chamber. v

form shown, 41 (see Fig. 17), designates a fuel pump supplied through a pipe 42 and connected by a pipe '43 with a rotatable hollou7 stem 44 whichcarries at its lower end the bent nozzle 24 arranged to discharge into the Way 45 through the charging valve 20. The purpose of making the stem 44 and the bent nozzle rotatable is to direct the fuel, either immediately into the impulse chamber and across the same onto the hot Wire 23, or, at the will of the operator to direct the fuel ontol a Wall of the engine, as for instance the wall of the Ways 4.5 of the valve. By discharging the fuel against a wall the operator may control to a greater or less extent the vaporizing of the fuel before it reaches the igniter. Where crude petroleum or other low .gravity hydrocarbon is used, the same may be directed onto the Wall of the valve down which it may flow, until carried away by the on-rush of air from the compressor chamber, thus effecting a vaporizing of the heavy oil. In the case of fuel of lighter gravity, as gasolene, alcohol, or the like, the fuel may be directed toward and onto the igniter by turning the nozzle so as to dis-` charge through the Avalve iivay.

Y The position of the nozzle need only be changed .from time to time as changes are made inthe kind of fuel used in the engine.

.screwing the union the stem can be tightened or loosened, so that it may be turned to bring the nozzle to the desired position.

47 is a water pipe controlled by a needle valve 48 to supply water to the nozzle along with the fuel when that is deemed advisable or exped-ientby the operator. The purpose othus'supplying 'water may be to cool the valve vand the impulse chamber and to in crease-the combustion of certain hydrocarbon fuels. Y

The e'ect of thus introducing the water may be: First: a cooling of thevalve by evaporation as the air takes up the water and carries it into the impulse chamber; second: a probable decomposition of the water into its component' gases by reason of the heat and pressure caused by the combustion of the hydrocarbon fuel; third: the combustion of the hydrocarbon and oxygen -off the water, thus introduced -with a conse;

quent evolution of power from such combustion; fourth: the formation 'of water by the chemical reaction; and fifth: the forma tion of steamLfrom lt-he water .with consequent cooling efect. z

.The operator may by manipulatingv the valve-48, supply atv will a. eater or less amount of water to the com ustion or impulse chamber. water may be determined by the action -of the engine. Y Y 'A The requisite .amount of The charging-valve lrod 217is connected with the charging-valve 20 bya pin 49 lxedv to the valve eccentrically and operable in a slot 50, in the top of a cap 52 which is screwed into the engine frame or case, to hold the valve in place. The'valve rod 21 is operated by a lever 21 pivoted to theengine frame 1 by a pivot 53. .Said lever 21 and 'the' pump rod 54 are respectively operated by corresponding mechanisms which transmit motion from the crank shaft 7 and 7 respectively. The parts which transmit power from the crank shaft 7 to operate the pump rod 54 correspond with the charging valve operating parts and are indicated by will be opened may be governed' by shiftlike characters With the addition of an index.

Referring now to the mechanism for operating the charging valve, 22 is a cam provided with a way in'which an antifr'iction pin 56 engages to operate aslide 57, which is carried in ways 58 on t-he engine frame and is pivoted' at 59 to a slotted lever 60, which is pivotally mounted on a movis operable by a lever 64 pivoted tothe engine frame at 65 and adjustably held by' a segment 66. The lever 60 is adjustably connected with the valve lever 21 by a I slot 67 and the amplitude of the 'mo-vement of said -lever effected by the rotation of the cam 22 is determined by the position of the movable fulcrum 62, which is under the control of the operator 'by manipulation of the lever 64. f

In Fig. 17 the (parts just described are shown on a reduce scale, in order to avoid confusion of lines andparts thereof are omitted from Fig. 1 for like reason.

The cam 22 s so constructed as to effect an opening and closing of the charging l -crank sha-ft' 7.

valve at the appropriate period of the compressor and impulse piston strokes. This will be understood' by reference to Figs. 1 and 18, where dotted lines indica-te that the charging valve is closed, and by reference to Fig. 17, where it will be seen that the cam way 55 is provided with an inward bend or lobe 68, which is'about to engage the pin 56 to thereby shift the slide 57 to the right, to cause a slight movement of t-he valve pin 49, (shown in Fig. 18)', and

` a consequent opening of the valve. By reference to Figs. 1 and 3, Where the parts are shown in the same position as that shown 'in Figs. 17 and 18, it will be seen that the fur.- ther rotation of the crank shaft 7 will first eiect a further approach of the pistons 6 and 6 to expelv the contents of the impulse chamber 3, through the exhaust port 12, shown closed in Fig'. 4, but which at this period will be o' ened by mechanism hereinafter describe A; and that immediately thereafter the lobe 68 will operate the pin 56, thereby opening the charging valve, which will then be held open by the mechanism until the compressor pistons shall have lcompleted their inward stroke and shall by the nozzle 24.

The cam 22 on the crank shaft 7 is ar:

ranged correspondingly to the cam 22 and operates through corresponding mechanism lto cause the pump 41 to force through the (lluantity of fuel each 'time the charging va ve is' o ned.

nozzle a determined The extent to which the c arging valve.

ing the lever 64 and the length of the stroke of the pumpand consequently the amount of1liquid thereby delivered to the nozzle may also' be governed by adjustin the-le iver 64". 4The amount of water -may be. governedv by adjusting the `needle valve 48. able fulcrum 62 carried by a link 63 which f forth it will generate itsvmaiumuml power fand consume the fuel genera-tion.

elivered 1 When the engine is o rated'as above set` necessary4 for such For the purpose of reducing the consumption of fuel when less power is required, and

also for the purpose of supercooling, from Itime to time. if required, I provide the en- ;gine with means under the control of the ,operator by which the delivery .of the fuel into the combustion chamber may be effect- -led at every other revolutionof the crank shaft instead of at each. revolution. The

imeans by which this is accomplished may :be understood and 20.

by reference .to Figs.1, 13

lup the liquid which vmay be fed to the port The cam 22 is rotatably mounted on the l 69 is a yokefor shiftinnthe two gears 7 0 and 72 which'are arrange -to separately engage the cam 22 for its rotation. The gea-rs 70 and 72 are respectively connected by a two-toene gearing 73, and

rotate at the relative speeds of .two-to-one.

A feather 74 on the `shaft 7 causes the smaller gear 70 to rotate with the shaft 7. Then the yoke 69 is shifted to bring the gear 70 into engagement withthe cam 22',

said cam will rotate at the same speed as the shaft .7', but when the yoke 69 is'shifted to cause the gear 72 to clutch with the cam 22, said cam will be driven at half the speed of the shaft 7. By this means when the' gear 70 is clutched with the cam 22 the pump 41 will supply a charge of fuel to the charging valve at eachrevolution of the crank shaft 7 When the gear 72 is clutched lwith the cam 22 a charge of fuel will be delivered'and a'conscquent explosion will occur, at every other revolution of the crank shaft, instead of Aatevery revolution, as before, f

Though every other revolution thus oc.- Ecurs Without the injection of fuel into the lis combustion chamber, there is no consequent interruption of the injection of air into such chamber, and thereto-re a charge of cool air is expanded in and expelled from the combustion chamber at every other revolution, thus effect-ing a cooling of the combustion chamber that is only possible by the provision herein made for supplying a compressed charge of air to the impulse cham-` ber 'behind the receding pistons, independently of the fuel supply. Furthermore, the operation of the water supplying means is also independent of the intermittent action of the fuel-supplying device, and consequently, the introduction of water to the 4combustion chamber in the absence of fuel l:glso assists in the rapid cooling ofthe charm Provision is made for highl7 eEective air cooling by means most clearly illustrated in Fig. 14 which represents the impulse pistons on the instroke. f I

75 is Yan air passage opening near the middle of the, cylinders and `extending thence to the crank chamber 76 into which the compressor andimpulse cylinders open.

As the piston recedes from the crank shaft, air is sucked in around the cylinder and also into the cylinder behind' the piston, and is thus caused to 'take up the heat of such cylinder: On the return stroke the air is expelled from the crank-case 76 through the air passages 75, thus expelling the heated air. Upon the next in-stroke of the pistons, air 1s again sucked in, and so on, thus causing an effective cooling 4by. atmospheric media. v e

The engine may or .may not be supplied with a water jacket 77. In case it is so supplied, the same may be applied at the middle of the combustion cylinder, as indicated v in Fig. 14, this being the portion of the cylinder which is subjected to the most intense heat. Itis to be understood, however, that I do not limit myself to any specific construction of a cooling jacket, either for use of air, water, or both. i

Provision may be made for changing the stroke off one 'of thecompressor istons, and mechanism.A for accomplishing t ispurpose 1s detailed in Figs. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and .12, and is also shown Fig.'1..

` 78 is a slide mountedo'n the compressor move transversely across'the axis 'of a. ro-

crank 37 and connected by a erankpin 79 with another s11de "80"`which" is 'mounted to tatable head 82 which is fixed to ashaft 83 that is journaled to rotate in boxin 84, 85 mounted en a sliding table 86 which is .carried in Ways 87 in the frame 1 Said Ways extend at right angles'to the axis of the crank shaft 7 A 88 is a sleeve slidable on and rotating with the shaft 83, and provided with an annular groove 89 and-connected bya; iexible connection 90 with the free end of the slide 80 which is farthest from the crank pin 79.' Said connection passes around suitable antifriction means as a pulley 92. The slide 80 is groovedto receive the connection 90 and by moving the collar 88 along the shaft'83 the end of'the slide 8O to which the flexible connection 90 is attached will be drawn toward the axis of thehcad 82 and will consequently force the crank pin 79 away from such axis.

93 is a bell crank pivoted at 94 to the sliding table 86 and provided on one arm with a pin 95 in the groove 89 of the collar 88, and on the other arm with a pivot 96, by which it is connectedvvith a link 97 that is pivoted at 98 to the frame 1 of the engine. The pin 95 and pivot 96 are equi-distant. from the pivot 94.

99 is a lever pivoted by a pivot 100 to the engine frame 1 and operating on an antifriction roller 101 to force the. table 8G and the shaft 83 away from the engine cylinders therebyv making such shaft 83 eccentric to the crank shaft 7, so that as the crank shaft rotates, the movement of the slides that carry pin 7 9 is controlled by the crank 37 and the head4 82, thus causing the wrist pin 79 to describe a path eccentric to shaft 7 but having aconstant radius 'on the instroke dead center, so that-the piston always terminates its in-stroke at the same point.

102 designates a rack to hold the lever in any position to which it maybe adjusted. By adjusting .the lever 99 the table 86 may be brought to a definite position at which it is desired to hold the collar 88, thus to determine the length of the piston stroke.

By reference to FigiA 11, it will be seen that when the collar 88 is retracted from the head 82 and the crank pin 79 is at dead center Vfor the outmost stroke of the piston 5', said crank pin will be farther from the the cylinder, thus increasing the stroke of the piston and the amount of air sucked into the cylinder. A reverse movement of the lever will shorten the piston stroke. As the crank shaft is rotated the resistance of the 'piston 5 and its rod constantly operates to hold the connection'90 taut.

The device is a combination of the two cylinders-2 and 3, the two pairs of pistons 5 and 5', 6 and 6', and their crank vconnections, with the fly-wheel a, by which means a charge may be delivered between the two pistons 6 and 6 while receding, through the port 4 between the two chambers 2 and 3 by the mutual approach of the pistons 5 and 5 in the chamber 3 by means of an explosion in the explosion-chambers, beginning with the issuing of the first particles of fuel from the charging-port Il, in which port is the rota ry-valve 20 having the adjustable fuel-nozzlel which delivers fuel and Water foi; vaporization bv the air from the compression-chamber'as the fuel and water pass into the combustion-chamber and over the hot wire 21:3 in said chamber; the consequent ignition and conibustion being continuous until all the fuel has been delivered into the combastion-chamber, the-delivery being positive, and actuated by 'the cam-driven pump 41 and sucked bythe force of the air, respectively.

In the ordinary gas engine the pressure as indicated by indicator diagrams is zero on the charging stroke, is increasedgradually on the compression stroke to produce initial compression, then is increased instantly on the firing stroke from. such initial compression tc maximum compression, and'is finally decreased to zero from maximum compression.

In my engine the pressure is slightly increased from zero on the inward stroke of the impulse pistons; and at the beginning of the outward or firing stroke the pressure instantly increases to that in the compressor cylinder; then as the ilnpulse pistons recede from one another on the firing stroke, the pressure is again instantly increased by the ignited portion of the charge; and finally, while the pistons yet further recede from one another, the pressure is increased and maintained for say a third, more or less, of. the tiring stroke by the continuous ignition of the remainder/of the charge. It is thus seen that in effect the charges are slowburningand their continuous action over a definite period of time isallied to the action of slow-burning powder used in high power ordnance, well-known in that art, and theA results produced are obviously the same, viz.,-greater power and less strain on the parts.

What I claim is 1. An internal combustion engineprovided With a rotary valve 'at the charging port of the impulse chamber, a nozzle to supply fuel to the inside of the rotary valve, said nozzle being movable to direct the fuel onto the Wall of the valve, or into,the impulse chamber at the will of the operator, and means to supply compressed air to said valve.

2. An internal combustion engine provided with a hot Wire igniter in the impulse `chamber opposite 'the charging port, mean-s to supply fuel to' said port,l said means being adjustable to direct fuel onto the engine walls, or onto the igniterA at the will of the operator, a valve for said port, and means to supply compressed air to said valve.

other pair of pistons, crank shafts for thepistons, a shiftable connection between one of the pump pistons and its crank shaft, and' means to operate the shiftable connection to vary the compression of the. charge.

4. In an internal combustion engine, two

parallel cylinders, a port at the middle there- A of connecting said cylinders, pairs of pistons in the cylinders, one pair of pistons operating` as a pump to supply charges to the other pair of pistons, crank shafts for the pistons, a shiftable connection between one of the pump pistons and its crank shaft, a slidably mounted collar to shift the connection to vary the compressing of the charge, and means to slide the collar.

5. In an internal combustion engine, two parallel cylinders, a port at the middle thereof connecting said cylinders, pairs of pistons in the cylinders, one pair of pistons operating as a pump to supply charges between the other pair of pistons, crank shafts for the pistons, a sliding connection bet-Ween the 'crank shaft and one of the pump pistons, a

shaft, a support for the shaft and shiftable relative to the pump piston, a head to rotate with the shaft and having a sliding connection with said pump piston, a collar shiftable on the shaft and adapted to slide the head relative 'to said pump piston, means operatable by' shifting the support to shift the collar, and means to shift the support.

6. In an internal combustion engine, a comprcssirm cylinder and a combustion cylinder mounted side by side, a port connecting the centers of said cylinders, a pair of piston-s in the compression cylinder, a pair of pistons in the combustion cylinder, crank shafts and `mechanism connect-ing the pistons together, and mechanism under the control of the operator for sliding one of the compression piston crank pins relative to the crank shaft.

7. In an internal combustion engine, a pair of cylinders, a pair of pistons-in cach cylinder, a crank-shaft at each end of the cylinders and connecting corresponding pistons together, there being a port connecting the centers of the cylinders, a valve for said port, one of said cylinders being a compression cylinder and the other` of said cylinders being a combustion cylinder, a hot wire igniter in the combustion cylinder, an adjustable nozzle for supplying fuel to said port, and means to adjust the nozzle to direct the fuel toward or to the side of the igniter.

8. In an internal combustion engine, a-

driving shaft, a pair of crank-shafts operatively connected together and to the driving shaft, there being a pair of cranks upon each crank shaft, 'a compression cylinder mounted between the crank shafts, a pair of pistons in the compression cylinder and convary the degree- 'oit compression oi the charge.

9. In an internaljcombustion engine, a drivingshaft, a pair of crank shafts operatively connected together and to the drivingshaft, there being a pair of cranks upon each' crank-shaft; a compression cylinder mounted between the crank-shafts,a pair of pist'ons'in the compression-cylinder and connected to corresponding cranks upon the crankshafts, a combustion cylinder beside the compression-cylinder, there being a port connecting the centers of the cylinders; a pair of impulse pistons inv the combustion cylinder. and connected to corresponding cranks upon the crank-shafts, valve mechanism operativelyA connected tothe driving shaft for adjustably controlling the supply of fuel to said port, mechanism for' slidably shiftin one of the compression piston'crankpins re.ative to the crank shaft to vary the compression of the charge; an igniter in the combustion chamber, a rotary valve in the port, andmeans to rotate the rotary valve, the disposition of said-compression pistons relative to said impulse pistons together with the timing of the rotary valve being adapted to admit a' part of the 'compressed charge to the combustion chamber to start the pistons apart, and thereafter to admit the -balance of the charge tocontinue the combustion, so that the greatest compression takes place after the 'initial combustion to prolong andincrease the combustion and thus increase the force O the piston.

10. In a gas engine, an air compresso/r working in each of said cylinders, means t0 pass a charge of compressed air from the compressor cylinder to the combustion cyl.

day of September cylinder, va combustion cylinder, a piston inder, and means to adjust said pistons relative to one another for increasing and decreasing the amount ofpre'ssure in the comcharge between them.

l2. In a gas engine, an air compressor cylinder, a combustion cylinder, a piston working in-each of said cylinders, mechanism operatively connecting said pistons together,

means to pass a compressed charge from the compressor cylinder to the combustion cylinder and behind its pistoi, means on said mechanism to adjust said pistonsrelative to Aone another, and indicators on said .adjusting means to indicate the positions of the pistons relative to their dead centers.

13. Ina gas engine, anair compressor cylinder, a combustion c linder, a piston Working in each of said cy inders, mechanism operativelyV connecting said pistons together,

said mechanism being adjustable to change the length of stroke of the compressor piston atA its outer end only, and means to pass acompressed charge from the compressor cylinder to the combustion cylinder and ber hind its piston.

14. In a gas engine, a compressor cylinder, a combustion cylinder, a piston Working in each of said cylinders, there bein@ a port connecting said cylinders; a crank shaft operatively connecting the pistons together, a body rotatable on the crank shaft, a collar fixed to the crank shaft, a pair of friction shoes pivoted to said'body, and means to aiternately swing said shoes into and out of contact with the collar and thereby rock ,the crank shaft.

f In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set -my hand at Los Angeles California this 18th 190 i y CHARLES FOX.:

In presence of- Jams R. TowNsnNn, M.Vv BEULAH Townsmm. 

